Refrigerating apparatus



Oct. 15, 1929. J.' 5. KING 1,732,094

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 27, 192.7 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 15', 1929. J, G) Km 1,732,094

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed 001:. 27, 1927 I 2 Sheets-Sheet ,2

% m n J i Patented a. is, 1929 UN-rrao STA TES PATENT OFFICE Jessa e. xmc, or DAYTON, on'ro, nssrenon, BY unsim nssrenmmrrs, r0 IBIGID'.

t AIRE CORPOBKTION, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE anrarenmrme urnna'ros Application filed October 27, 1927. Serial No. 229,218.

This invention relates to improvements 'in refrigerating apparatus and more particularly the refrigerating elements or cooling units-used in mechanical refrigerators.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved cooling unlt having relatively wide heat absorbing surfaces and arrange for relatively uniform and effective heat transfer relationship between the parts "of the heat absorbing surfaces and the circulating medium to be cooled thereby. In carryingbut the above object, I provide relatively elongated metal finsin the form of wings and I insure cooling of the entire wing by conveying refrigerant to remote parts thereof. In a preferred arrangement, I provide a header for liquid refrigerant and extend elongated fins from the header in a lateral direction to form wing type fins and convey refrigerant from the header to at least midway to the tips of the Wing's whereby the temperature gradient between. the parts of the wings adjacent the header and the-partsadjacent the tips-of the wing is reduced and inthis manner I establish a more nearly. uniform and effective temperature difierence be tween all of the parts of the cooling unit and the circulating mediurnto be cooled.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improvedcooling unit suitable for use in refrigerators where more width than height is available for positioning the cool-' ing unit. v

Further objects and advantages of the pres-' ent invention will be apparent from the-following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly In the drawings v v Fig. 1 represents a of the improved refrigeratingfelement of the invention; 1

Fig. 2 is aside view of the. same;- Fig. 3 shows a cross section of. a portion of the element takenon the line 33 of :Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 illustrates a refrigerator equipped with the refrigerating element of the invenshown in the the.

container for holding a refrigerating mediuin which may for example be li uid sulphur dioxide. This tank serves to distribute the refrigerant to pipes or ducts hereinafter described. The refri 'erating medium is led into the header, tank by means of a pipe 11 and is led ofi therefrom above the l quid level in the tank by means of a pipe 12, a suitable fioat valve, not shown, bein used to maintain a constant level of liquid in the.

tank. One of the features of the invention comprises a series of cooling ducts which are formed of a plurality of dependent ducts or loops of. ipes, all of which are connected to the hea er in arallel, circuit relation as ducts extend downwar ly into t e air cooled by the refrigerating element, and are hereinafter referred to as loop sets 13-44 each set including a loop 13 and a loop 14. The

rawin sin Fi 2.: Theseloops or ducts constituting a set are constructed' substantiallyas follows: Theloop 13 has a vertical ductor leg 13, Fig. 2., depending substantially adjacent the vertical axis of the header 10 and a second vertical duct or le cons'iderab 13'. which is offset laterally a e distance from the same axis and which also .depends from the header.

The loop '14 of the loop set also has a vertical leg '14 depending downwardlysubstan tially adjacent the verticalv axis of the head-n er 10' but on theopposite side of the header as regards leg 13. The second vertical'leg 14' of this loop depends downwardly laterally offset to a considerable extent, similar to leg 13". l li bl 1 a t on e onging to separate 00 s.- It lu be observed that all of the 'loops marked 13 and 14 are built up in the same -Thus legs 13", 14", and 13', be said to be similarly positioned v shape but. when they are attached to the header 10, alternate loops are turned reve'rsely so that the latera ly ofiset legs 13" 14" ro'ect alternately on op site sides of gender. -The vertically spending legs and at the top by similar cross ducts or legs 13" of shorter length than the bottom cross ducts. The same is true of the loops 14 whichhave their vertical legs 14: and 14 connected by similar cross ducts at the top and bottom 14", the topcross legs being shorter than the bottom ones.

The loop sets 13+14. each have a copper fin 15 attached, as by solderin to insure good thermal contact. 'These fins preferabl lie in substantially the same plane as bot loops 1314 and the fin is attached to one side of one loop on one side of the fin and to'the other side of the other loop on the other sideof the fin as shown in Fig. 3.

These fins extend from the header and areelongated in a lateral direction to form, what ma be termed, Wing type fins providing wi e heat absorbing surfaces lying prefermost laterally located legs.

ablyfi'n the direction of circulating air or medium flowing thereover. The fins may have their edges bent over as at 16 to strengthen them and prevent damage.

Inasmuch as the refrigerating element is adapted to be used as a'substitute for a rela-- tively flat cake of ice or adapted to be used .in refrigerators where s ace is available which is widerthan it is high, the vertically depending legs 13',14 which are substantially adjacent the vertical axis of the header are relatively shorter than the cross ducts 13",

erally extending legs 13", 1.5L". The fins should also preferably extend hdrizontally in the same direction and preferably beyond the The header is arranged to straddle the loop-fin structure as shown in Fig. 2.

An important feature of the present in vention lies in establishing a more nearly uniform and effective temperature difference mediumto be cooled. In the specific embodiment illustrated, I reduce the temperature gradient between remote parts of the fin wings and the parts adjacent the header by extendin the refrigerant conveying ducts outwardlyom the header to at least midway to the tips ofthe wings. In this manner the parts of the wings remote from the header are effectively cooled and a more nearly uniform, and effective temperature difference is established between all parts of fin wings and the circulating medium or air to be cooled.

It is evident that the structure above de-' scribed furnishes 'a refrigerating elementof great width as compared to its height, and

that the fins produce passageways which aid in circulating and guiding the refrigerated 'air.- The extreme length or width of the element compared with its height permits the airto creep along-in a horizontal direction for arelativelylong distance and the element is therefore well adapted for use in refrigerators whose fines are considerably.

separated and where it is desired to-avoid the use ofa plurality of smaller and more compact units. A feature of the invention therefore resides in the straddling of the vided with a chillingchamber, preferably T located in the top-most portion of the cabinet and a'food compartment 28. The chilling chamber comprises a bottom wall 20 of insulating material and baffle side walls21. These walls are attached to the front and rear Walls (not shown) of the cabinet. A flue 22 is rovided in the bottom Wall of the floor of tie ceiling compartment and this may be e nipped with a ventilating hood 23, which wi 1 permit cold air to enter the compartment below but will prevent water from dripping into the compartment when the re-,

frigerating element is defrosted. The baflle side walls of the chamberdo notextend-to the top'of the cabinet but are arranged so as to provide openings 24 which communicate with flues 25 leading to the lower portion of the cabinet. I

The refrigerating element of the invention is mounted in the chilling chamber in any suitable manner such as by means of hanger members 26 attached to the header and the roof of the chilling chamber. Shelves 27 are may be of any suitable type, either of screening or built solid and spaced away from the between all parts of the wing type fins and the wallsso asto permit unhindered circulation of air within the cabinet. "Sectional shelves provided in. the cabinet and diagrammatically shown in the drawings I may also be used, "a central passageway through the verti al center being provided for the circulatiorf of air. s

In the operation of the refrigerator cold air coming from the chilling compartment passes downwardly through fiues 22 in the oor of the chilling chamber. The air, after cooling the contents of the refrigerator, iascends and is forced back to the cooling unit through fiues 25. located between the bafile side walls of the chilling chamber and the inside walls of the cabinet. The contents of the cabinet are therefore efi'ectively cooled. the air circulation being approximately shown by arrows in Fig. 4. j

It is .quite apparent from the foregoing that the air entering the cooling unit section is progressively cooled. Therefore, the parts of the fins adjacent the .tips will .be

posed legs or branches W1 somewhat'warmer than the parts 'ad'acent fore a thermally non-symmetrical relation of the loops with respect to the. lane of the vertical axis of the header an the refrigerant will boil more violently in legs 13" and 14? than in legs 13' and 14'. (Ram sequently, more gas and less liquid will be present in the former legs than in the latter. This difference of apparent density of refrigerant in the vertical arts of the opcreate unbal-' anced columns of refrigerant to cause, what may be termed, a prevalent flow of refrigerant downwardly from the header, through the branches 13 and 14, through the cross legs 13" and 14", whence the refrigerant gaswill flow upwardly through the opposed verticalsbranches to the header. By establishing a prevalent flow, as above described,

in contradistinction to a circuit in which the liquid flows in one direction and'vapor in the opposite direction, the upward flow of vaporized refrlgerant in one of the opposed branches in which the vaporization is greatm which the vaporized refrigerant read1 y flows therefrom and is immediately replaced by liquid refrigerant to thus improve the thermal efliciency of the circuit.

Tn view of the width of the refrigerating element as compared to its height it is apparent that the same is applicable to refrigerators 'where but little ice space is available, such as those adapted for holding av fiat cake of ice. The far-reaching horizontal. spread of the refrigerating element makes it applicable also to cabinets in which the airflues are considerably separated, thus obviating the necessity of using a plurality of individual elements. The efliciency of the element and therefore of the ref-rigrator as a whole is greater than when ice is employed, since the cooling effect of ice is merely a function of the surface area thereof lapped by the circulating air. The finnedloops present parallel air passageways which in addition to havin a far greater total than is presented by t e surface of a block of ice, promote a very efiicient circulation'of air.

While the form of embodiment of the in vention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be undertsood that other forms mlght be adopted, all coming within the scopeof the claims which follow.

What isrclaimed is as follows:

- 1. A refrigerating element for mechanical refrigerators comprisin a header, a series of duct loops depen ing from said header and connected thereto in parallel, said 100 s'each having a, leg depending vertically adjacent the vertical axis thereof and an other leg on'the other side of said header but offset laterally. to a great extent from said 1 vertical axis, alternate loops being turned reverse'ly with respect to each other,

the 1 legs of each loop being connected by cross ducts of greater length than said vertical legs, a fin in a plane rmed by one side of one loop on one side of said header and the other side of a corresponding loop on the other side of said header said header being arranged transversely of the loops and fins. J Y

2. A refrigerating element for mechanical refrigerators comprising a header, a series of duct loops depending from said header and connected thereto in parallel, said loops each havinga leg depending vertically from one side of said header and adjacent the vertical axis thereof and another leg on the other side of said header but offset laterally to a great extent from said vertical axis, alternate loops being turned reversely with respect to each other, the legs of each loop being connected 1 by cross ducts of' greater length than said vertical legs, a fin in a plane formed by one side of one loop on one side of said header and Y 100 the other side'of a corresponding loop on the other side of said header.

3. A refrigerating element for mechanical refrigerators comprising a plurality of duct loops having a common inlet and each having a plurality of downwardly extending legs and a connecting leg of greater length than the vertical legs, said loops being arranged in staggered relation to provide at least three parallel rows of legs, and a fin arranged parallel with the loops and having one surface thereof thermally connected with one of said loops and having its opposite surface thermally connected with another of said P a 4. A' refrigerating element for'rnechanical refrigerators comprising a header, a plurality of ducts depending from said header and arranged in at least three substantially evenly spaced parallel rows, a fin arranged transversely to said rows and having one surface thereof thermally connected with one of said ducts and having its opposite surface thermally connected with another of said ducts. 5. A refrigerating element for mechanical refri erators comprisin a'header, a plurality 0% ducts depending rom said header and arranged in at least three substantially evenly spaced parallel rows, a fin arranged transversely'to and s anning said rows, said fin having one sur ace thereof thermally conrom one side of said header and opposite surface thermally connected with another of said ducts; V

6. A cooling unit for a refrigerator comprising, a header, fins extending from said header and elongated in a lateral direction to form wing type fins, and means for reducing the temperature gradient. between the parts of the wing adjacent the tip thereof and those adjacent the header to establish a more nearly uniform and effective temperature difference between the 'fin wing and the medium to be cooled thereby, saidmeans comprising refrigerant ducts connected with the header and extending a substantial distance laterally outward therefrom to a region of the wing at least midway to the tip of the wing.-

7 *A cooling unit for a refrigerator comprising, an elongated header, fins extending transversely of the header and elongated to form wing type fins, said wing type fins being spaced from one another rearwardly substantially coextensive along the length of the header, and means for reducing the tempera turc gradient between the parts 'of the wing adjacent the tip thereof and those adjacent the header toestablish a more nearly uniform and effective temperature difference between the finwing and the medium to be cooled thereby, said means comprising refrigerant ducts connected with the header 'andextending' a substantial distance laterally outward therefrom'to-a region of the wing at. least midway to the tip of the wing.

'8. A cooling unit for a refrigerator comprising, a header, fins extending from said header and elongated in a lateral direction to form wing type fins, and means for reducing the temperature gradient between the partsof the wing to establish a more nearly uniform andeffe'ctive temperature difference between the fin win and the medium to be cooled thereby", means comprising at least three-refrigerant ductsconnected with the header and spaced substantially-even distances laterally from one another.

9. A cooling unit for a refrigerator comprising, a header, fins extending from said header and elongated in a lateral direction to form wing type fins, and means for reducing the temperature gradient between the parts of the wing to establish a morenearly uniform and effective temperature difference between the fin wing and the medium to be cooled thereby, saidnneans comprising at least three refrigerant dncts'connected with the'header and spaced substantially even dis- "tances laterally from one another and from the tips of the wings.

1.0. A coolin unit for a refrigerator comprising, a header, fins extending from said header and elongated ina lateral direction to form wing type fins, and means for reducing the temperature gradient between the parts thereof to establish a more nearly uniform and effective temperature difference between the fin wing and the medium to be cooled thereby, said means comprising refrigerant ducts connected with'the header and thermally connected with the wings relatively near the vertical axis of the header, and refrigerant sduct's connected with the header and extending a substantial distance laterally outward therefrom and thermally connected to a region of the wings at least midway to the tips of the wings.

11. A cooling unit for a refrlgerator com- )risin a header fins extendim from said header and elongated in a lateral direction to form wing type fins, and means for reducing the temperature gradient between the parts thereof to establish a more nearly uniform and effective temperature difference between the fin wing and the medium to be cooled thereby, said means comprising refrigerant duct loops connected with the header, said loops each having a loop leg thermally con{ nected with a wing relatively near the vers tical axis of the header, and having a loop leg extending a substantial distance laterally outward from-the header and thermally eona nested to a region of a wing at least midway I to the tlPOf the wing.

12. A cooling unit for a refrigerator comprmng, a plurality of duct loops, a substantially centrally disposed header, said duct loops including a downwardly extending leg arranged relatively near the vertical axis of the header and includlng a downwardly extending leg relatlvely more remote from the vertical axis of the header, and fin means bridging and thermally connected with one of said first mentioned and one of said second mentioned legs. 1

v 13. A cooling unit for a refrigerator comprising, a plurgalit of duct loops, a substantially centrally disposed header, said duct loops including a downwardlyextending leg arranged relatively near the vertical axis of the header and including a downwardly extending leg relatively more remote from the vertical axis of the header, and fin means extending-outwardly a substantial. distance beyond one'of said legs and also bridging and thermally connected with one of said first mentioned and one of said'second mentioned le s v i 14. A cooling unit adapted to be placed in the path of a cooling medium flowing there-- over, said cooling unit comprising a header, duct/means connected with the header pro-' viding a refrigerant circuit having its ends connected with the header, fin means con-' nected' with substantially opposed branches of the circuit, said fin means and branches being arranged for causing one of said opposed bra'nehesjof the circuit to be subjected to'a larger heat exchange area than the other of said opposed branches.

-15. A cooling unit adapted to be placed in the path of a cooling medium flow ing theretially opposed branches of the 100 means and branchesbeing arrange for causing)one of said opposed branches of the loop to over, said cooling unit comprisin over, said cooling unit comprising a header, duct means connected with the header, providing a 100 the header,

, said circuit being disposed relatively more remote from saidaxis of the header, and a fin thermally connected with both of said branches;

17. A cooling unit adapted to be placed in the path of a cooling medium flowing thereover, said cooling unit comprising a header, duct means connected with the header,- providing a loop having its ends connected with the header, one branch of said loop being dis-' posed relatively near the vertical axis of the header and another branch ofsaid loop bein disposed relatively more remote from said axis of the header, and a fin thermally con nected with both of said branches.

18. A coolin unit adapted to be placed in the path of coo ing medium flowing thereover for cooling such medium,

comprising a header, duct means connected with the header, said duct means roviding a refrigerant circuit having its en s connected with the header, and fin means thermall connected with opposed. branches of thecircuit,

said fin means and duct means cooperating to provide a thermally nonsymmeetr cal relation of the circuit'with respect to the plane of having the ends thereof connected withthe thermall the vertical axis of the header.

19. A coolin unit adapted to be 'laoed in the path of coo for cooling such medium, said cooling medium flowing thereover, said cooling unit com-f a header, duct means connected with prising the header, said duct'means providing a loop header and fin means connected with substantially opposed branches of the loop, said fin means and loop cooperatingto provide a non-symmetrical re ation oi the loop W1i' respect to the plane of the vertical axis of the header.

20. Acoo. "t'adaptedtobeplacedin the path of 000 'ng medium flowing thereover Y tor cooling such medium, saidooohng unit comprising a header, ductmeans connected with the header, said duct means roviding a refrigerant circuit having its end: connected with the header, and fin means thermally conhaving its ends connected with 11 means connected with substansaid cooling unit 7 branches to have a difierent aplparenth ensity nected with opposed branches of the circuit, said fin means and duct means cooperating to provide a thermally non-symmetrical relation of the opposed branches of the circuit.

21. 'A cooling unit adapted to be placed in the path of cooling medium flowing thereover, said cooling unit comprising a header, duct means connected with the header, said duct means providing a loop having the ends thereof connected with the header, and fin means thermally connected with opposed branches of said loop, said fin means and loop cooperating to rovide a thermally nonsymmetrical relation of the opposed branches of the circuit.

22. A cooling unit adapted to be placed in the path of a cooling medium flowing thereover, said cooling unit com rising a header, duct means connected with t e header providing a refrigerant circuit having its ends connected with the header, and-fin means thermally connected with opposed branches of the circuit said fin means and-circuit being arranged for causing the refrigerant in one of the said branches to have a diflerent apparent densit than the other of said opposed branc es.

23. A coolingnunit adapted to be laced in the ath of coo g medium flowing t ereover, sai cooling unit comprising a header, duct means connected with the header'providing a loop having the ends thereof connected with the header, and fin means thermally connected witho posed branches of the loop, said fin means an loop being" arranged for causin the refrigerant in one of said 0 than the other of said ogpose branc es.

In testimony wherwf hereto aflix my sig nature.-

mg medium flowing t ereover I 5 anssnamofn 

